Influencer James Charles has denied he is a 'predator' but admitted he made a 'big mistake' after he was accused of exchanging messages with teenage boys.
After rising to fame on YouTube, Charles was met with a heap of controversy in 2021 as a number of internet users came forward to accuse him of inappropriate behaviour and contact with teenagers under the age of 18.
Charles has claimed he believed the boys to be 18, and addressed the allegations in a now-deleted YouTube video.
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In the video titled 'Holding Myself Accountable', Charles apologized for his 'desperate' behavior and admitted to messaging two 16-year-old boys - both of whom he believed to be 18 at the time.
In the end, media reports suggested that at least 15 boys and men had accused Charles of inappropriate behavior, something the influencer has denied.
Charles has never been charged with engaging inappropriately with a minor.
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Nonetheless, the YouTuber faced being 'canceled' by the internet after the accusations, but he's now opened up in a new interview in which he spoke further about accepting his mistake.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Charles said: “I don’t want to sit here and f**king mope and whine and cry, because nobody wants to hear it. I had to do a lot of thinking.
"Like, Okay, babe, this is your fault. No, you’re not a pedophile. No, you’re not a f**king groomer. No, you’re not a predator. But you made a big mistake."
He went on to say he's 'never been more disgusted' than when he learned the person he was talking to was 16 years old, adding: "I was mortified, absolutely mortified.”
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Elsewhere in the interview, Charles opened up on the week the allegations came to light, and his now non-existent relationship with his brother.
As for the week the allegations came to light, Charles said: "I can’t even begin to explain to you how bad that week of my life was.
"I was crying myself to sleep every single night. I was sitting there in bed staring at my phone. I wanted to kill myself. I wasn’t talking to anybody."
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Since the allegations entered the press, Charles has not spoken to his younger brother, who works as a model in New York City.
While the Cosmopolitan interview largely touched on the allegations that have followed Charles in recent years, he is currently doing the media rounds to promote his latest venture - a business called Painted, which sells cream colors which are designed for use on the eyes, face, and body.
Callum Jones